Teen Detectives
by Knight of the Round Table
Summary: Sakura and Syaoran have entered Uni with their friends, and they get acquainted..uh...rather badly..:-P. Both share a hobby, PI-ing, but what do you do, when you're rivals in the same field? SS,ET,and M? I take all criticisms...positive and negative :-D
1. All Aboard!

A/N :-Peeplosss!! As one of my buds says!! Okie….this is kinda modeled on Veronica Mars….and has obviously CCS characters!! Hopefully, it will be interesting!!

Oh…much as my name says Knight…I'm a Lady…I'm just insanely fascinated with Sir Lancelot!

Disclaimer – Neither CCS, nor VM, belongs to me..nor does Avril Lavigne or her song!

The sweltering heat of Tokyo city was getting to Sakura Kinomoto's head.

"Tomoyo!", she called out to her long-haired best friend.

"Hai, Sakura?", the black head enquired.

"This heat is getting unbearable! Can't we take a rest? Please?", the auburn head pleaded.

"Sakura, you KNOW that we simply HAVE to move this stuff into our dorm room!"

Yes, the two best friends had enrolled into Tokyo University, one for the journalism course and the other for a course in fashion designing.

However, the June month, apparently wasn't the best month to begin the year. The first year students started university a month late to allow them to adjust to a life of boarding. A week after moving in, the classes would begin.

Due to family circumstances, Sakura Kinomoto and Tomoyo Daidouji were forced to shift in half a week late. Meaning, they had only three days to acquaint themselves with university life.

Currently, the two were busily removing their bags from the back of the cab. A whole year at hostel, meant tons of clothes, home food, books, hobby materials, and the inevitable stuffed toys.

No wonder the two had been removing bag after bag for the past fifteen minutes!

Finally, having thrown the last of their bags into the room, Tomoyo paid the cab driver and the two retired into the soft luxury of their two beds.

Looking around, Sakura commented, "Ne, Tomoyo, this room seems to be full of interesting things!"

Which, in a way, was true. That is, if you were into hidden niches in the wall and false cupboard bottoms.

"Sakura…all I can think of now, is discovering the canteen and foyer area."

Sakura simply turned to her buddy, and smiled. Typical Tomoyo…a very people-person. It was no news to anyone, that the canteen and the attached seating area, known as the foyer, were the most popular haunts of uni students.

"As soon as we fix this room with our stuff, Moyo!", Sakura chimed.

Tomoyo sighed.

"You know what, Sakura? You were right…this heat IS unbearable! What say, we head to the caff and get ourselves something COOOLD, and THEN, we fix this up?"

Sakura burst into bubbled laughter.

"As you like it, Moyo!", she agreed. "This heat IS unbearable!"

The two negotiated their way through the bags on the floor and walked out of the room, and resumed their walk down the corridor.

Removing the beginner's University Map from the back-pocket of her jeans, Sakura looked up the canteen.

"Take the next right, then the second left, walk down the grand stairs, and there you shall see, thy glimpse of Paradise!", Sakura exclaimed with a flourish.

Tomoyo laughed as she followed Sakura's directions, and finally, there they were, at the glass doors of the cafeteria. The caff was overflowing with people, despite the heat. But then again, it WAS one of the few air-conditioned areas on the campus!

Opening the doors, Sakura and Tomoyo walked into the foyer, and were immediately greeted with strains of Avril Lavigne singing "Falling Down" through the speakers.

"Oh my gosh! This has got to be THE best caff I've ever seen!", Sakura exclaimed. Tomoyo was too wonderstruck to reply.

In the centre of the foyer, a group of people were dancing to the music, while at the various irregularly strewn tables, groups of people were either chatting, completing assignments, studying or helping each other out.

Food was the mainstay at almost every table, as people gorged on it, while they worked.

Sakura and Tomoyo walked down the foyer, around the dancing people, and made their way through the glass doors of the in-built canteen.

The canteen itself, offered a huge variety of foodstuffs, such as Chinese, Indian, Sandwiches, Juices, Full Lunches, coffee, tea, soft drinks, and amazingly, housed a dessert corner!

Everything was being sold at subsidized student prices, and as far as they could make out, the quality appeared to be amazing.

"Moyo…I'm SOOO never leaving this uni!"

"I couldn't agree more with you Kura!"

Finally gathering their senses, the girls picked up a cold coffee each, and made their way to the foyer again. Looking around for a table to sit at, they finally spotted one with three girls, and two chairs to spare. Walking over, they asked whether the chairs were free, and the three girls nodded, with smiles stretching across their faces.

"Hi there! I'm Tomoyo Daidouji! And this, is my friend Sakura Kinomoto!", Tomoyo held out her free hand.

Sakura did the same, and smiled as the three shook hands with them.

Setting their drinks on the table, they listened to the introductions.

A pretty , short haired, red head, spoke up first."Hi! Did you just shift in?"

Tomoyo and Sakura nodded in the affirmative.

"Welll, welcome then! I'm Yumiko Rushi, and this", she pointed to the long blonde-hair girl," is Samiko, my fraternal twin!"

Samiko smiled at them happily, her brown eyes twinkling.

Finally, the black haired girl spoke up. She had electric green highlights in her long hair, and eyes that were so brown, they almost looked red.

"Hi there, girls! I'm Meiling Li! My cousin brother has enrolled with me, along with his rather annoying best friend!", she said, making a funny face.

Sakura and Tomoyo were enthralled by the trio.

"Looks like all of you have some family studying here!", Sakura said."Well, Tomo and I aren't far behind! We are cousin sisters! But more of best friends, more often than not!"

Tomoyo merely nodded her agreement on account of the cold coffee swirling in her mouth.

"Funny", Samiko agreed, "Meiling says Eriol is Syaoran's distant cousin, as well!"

Sakura and Tomoyo looked confusedly at the trio.

"Oh!", Yumiko caught on," We're so sorry! Syaoran is Meiling's cousin, and Eriol is his best friend! And no, they are rather god company, no matter what Meiling says!"

Samiko nodded too, enthusiastically.

Meiling simply laughed through all of this.

"Whatever you guys say! I've grown up with them, and I can't help but loathe their company at times!"

"Oh Meiling! You have no idea how lucky you are to have cousin brothers! Yumiko and I have none at all!"

"I have one; a real brother", Sakura cut in," and I can tell you, I totally understand how Meiling feels!"

Tomoyo simply laughed before hitting upon a conclusion.

"Oh Sakura! You're out of the clutches of your brother now! You can ACUALLY get a boyfriend!"

"Huh?", chorused Meiling, Samiko and Yumiko.

"Sakura's brother", Tomoyo explained," is a tad too overprotective of her. He never trusts guys around her. Needless to say, all of Kura's previous boyfriends have been scared off, or in more persistent cases, beaten off!"

"Ouch!", Meiling whispered. "A little extreme, don't cha think?"

"Oh, it was never too serious", Tomoyo hurriedly explained."Generally, a warning did the job for him!"

Yumiko and Samiko had, by now, dissolved into fits of laughter. Soon, the other three joined in as well, and the table was shaking with their uncontrollable laughter. If one finally stopped, they looked at the others laughing and began laughing at the sight. The cycle went on and on, till finally, the five were clutching their sides in splitting pain.

"G-guys", Meiling began," I think this is the beginning of a wonderful friendship!"

Samiki, Yumiko, Sakura and Tomoyo nodded their heads in between the spasms of pain.

KnoRT- Chaa!! For all my buddies in the wide, wide, world!! A ficciee!! I hope to update rather regularly, so please be patient! Now, lemme know if this is worth continuing!!


	2. Freaky Friday!

A/N- Chapter 2 for ya!! I am determined to complete this story!! And I hope you'll all enjoy it too!

* * *

Ch-2 – Freaky Friday

Half an hour after having entered the cafeteria, the two girls were forced to retire to their new homes, due to…uh…rather long hours of dorm cleaning.

"I can't BELIEVE this! How are we going to fit all of this here?", Sakura enquired of Tomoyo.

"Sakura…keep a positive attitude! See, the stuffed toys can happily sit in that corner, and the clothes…well, let's stuff them in our wardrobes! The books will happily sit in the trunk they came in…", Tomoyo went on, and the girls sat down to some serious work.

After a couple of tiring hours of adjusting and shifting, at 4-00 in the afternoon, the girls finally sat down in their clean room.

The door opened into the middle of the room. To the extreme left was Tomoyo's bed, and to the extreme right, Sakura's. In the centre, a huge space was occupied with both the study tables they were provided. The tables were joined, and the four chairs were set up on each side of the joint table. On the table, were the two laptops of the girls. Tomoyo's laptop, it must be noted, was accompanied by a stack of CDs choc-full of programs, and two external hard disks, along with her 2 GB USB. No surprise, given that she was a fashion designer in the making-cum-computer enthusiast.

Sakura's laptop, meanwhile, was accompanied by a lone 2 GB USB. Anything else she needed, she was satisfied to keep on DVDs or CDs.

In between this, were two MP3 players, blue for Tomoyo and pink for Sakura. Alongside were piled their study materials, loose sheets of paper, notebooks and textbooks.

Their wardrobes were situated at the foot of their beds, albeit, a good distance away. The left corner of the room was stuffed with soft toys whereas the right with the trunks of books. A mini-fridge was set up near the wall opposite to the door.

Needless to say, their room was rather large, and comfortably spacious. The windows were situated on the far wall, and they were huge. Sunlight streamed in even with the curtains closed.

Sakura and Tomoyo were satisfied with their new quarters….no, they were elated!

"Tomo, while we're at it, let's personalize our room!"

"Good idea! You claim my wall and I'll claim yours! What say? A mix-up?", Tomoyo suggested.

"Why not?", Sakura exclaimed.

Thus said, they set to work decorating each other's walls with posters, stickers, calendars, and god only knows what!

By the time they were done, it was already 6, but the sunlight hadn't died down yet.

Taking the opportunity, the girls decided to wander around the college grounds.

"Saku, I hear the grounds aren't very safe when it's dark. Let's be back in half-an-hour, okay?", Tomoyo ventured.

"Not safe? What do you mean Tomo?", Sakura asked, curiously.

"Well", Tomoyo began, uncomfortably," I heard that a few people were robbed, and umm…some girls were molested", she ended in a tiny voice.

"Molested?", Sakura looked at Tomoyo, horrified.

"Yeah…and it seems, all the times, the guys were the same. According to the victims, anyway! But nobody's been able to identify them!"

"How do they know they're the same then?"

"It seems, in all the victim's reports, the main assaulter had spiked-up hair-"

"Big deal! Almost all guys have spiked hair!"

"-and they also have a prominent insignia etched into their forearms", Tomoyo finished with a scowl, in response to Sakura's interruption.

"Sorry, sorry...umm…any idea what the sign looked like?"

Tomoyo smiled before continuing, "No, but I guess we could ask the girls." On a more serious note, she warned," Sakura, don't take this up as a case, okay? I mean, this is dangerous!"

"Tomo, how can I let the girls suffer away? My nose has been dying to do a bit of digging around anyway!"

Saying so, Sakura picked up her thin jacket and started to walk out. The nights tended to get a bit cool, and she didn't exactly like being in the cold a lot.

"C'mon Tomo, with you beside me, nothing could ever happen, ne? Remember, The Invincible Duo?", Sakura offered with a reassuring smile.

Tomoyo smiled, then hesitated, and finally gave in.

"Oh fine! But, mind you, the slightest hint of trouble, girl, and you're off the case! Nothing's worth your life!"

"Hai hai, Moyo!", Sakura trailed off.

Finally, picking up her jacket too, Tomoyo walked out with Sakura.

The grounds, it turned out, had plenty of dark spots, and most of them were inevitably occupied with not-so-quiet couples wagging their tongues in the other's oral cavity. But some spots, Sakura noted, were conveniently isolated from the busier parts, and held no appeal to most couples, thanks to their distance from the main building.

Overall, however, the grounds were rather pretty, with greenery lining the entire space. A basketball court, one for volleyball and throw ball, a football field, a flower garden, and many such attractions filled the entire area.

"Kura, look here!", Tomoyo called out to her, excitedly.

"What happened, Moyo? What do you see?", Sakura asked her.

"Come over!"

Sighing, Sakura made her way to the spot Tomoyo was standing at, and looked. The sky had turned a little too dark by now, and they were supposed to head back, but the sight before her held her enthralled.

She was standing in the rock garden, and right in the centre, there was a rock formation, built to resemble nature. A large rock stood strong in the centre, flanked by four to five other, smaller rocks. From the top of the centre rock, ran a ridge, deep enough to hold the water falling from it like a grand waterfall, but not too deep. The water ran like a tap, with a little bit overflowing from the ridge from time to time, when the volume increased. It fell into a clear pool formed by smaller rocks, and a few flowery bushes on its side, showered pretty little floating flowers into the pool. The water splashed a little every now and then, and watered the surrounding grass in the rock garden.

A slight, cool wind was blowing now, and combined with the smell of the wet mud, it was a refreshing moment indeed. The waterfall made little trickly sounds, and Sakura and Tomoyo felt their senses being embraced by Mother Nature. They could feel the wind, smell the mud, see the waterfall, taste the clean air, and hear the wonderfully comforting sounds of the fall.

"Sugoi, ne, Sakura?", Tomoyo commented.

"Hai, this is prettier than anything I've ever seen in my life!", Sakura answered.

"It's a wonder that no one's here! I would have expected this to be a rather popular haunt!"

"Mmm…I suppose the people here either haven't found it, or they don't appreciate nature, or this is out-of-bounds!", Sakura said.

"I hope it isn't out-of-bounds! I mean, there was no notice asking anyone to stay out! It might be the darkness, I suppose people come here in the daylight, you know", Tomoyo mused.

"Hmm…Tomo, let's get going, it's dark and we wouldn't want any unpleasant surprises just yet"

"You're right", Tomoyo agreed, "let's get going. We can spend the next hour in the room, and then go to the caff for dinner."

The girls started walking back to their room with a feeling of peace within themselves, content with the college they had enrolled in.

Upon entering the foyer, Sakura and Tomoyo were once again greeted with music and air conditioning. However, this time the music was James Blunt singing "Three Wise Men". Sakura lit up into a smile and started singing happily along with Mr. Blunt, and Tomoyo looked around for the other three girls.

"Tomoyo, Sakura, here!", a voice shouted from their left.

Turning their heads, Sakura and Tomoyo spotted Meiling, Yumiko, Samiko, and two other boys, unknown to them. Making their way to the table was rather difficult, given that this was the caff's dinner rush hour. Finally, they reached the table and pulled up two vacant chairs to seat themselves.

"G'evening girls!", Sakura greeted, while Tomoyo just smiled by.

Meiling laughed at this and greeted them back with a "G'evening" of her own.

"Saku, Tomo, these are the cousins we were talking about earlier. Pointing to the brown haired guy she said," Syaoran Li, my oh-so-despicable cousin". Syaoran simply mock-glared at Meiling before smiling at Tomoyo and Sakura. Pointing to the almost dark blue haired guy, she said, "Hiiragizawa Eriol, equally, if not more detestable". Eriol looked at Meiling feigning such a funny hurt look, that all of them began laughing.

Then, turning to Tomoyo and Sakura, he simply said, "Pleased to make your acquaintance, ladies", with such gentlemanly conviction, that the girls almost blushed.

"Eriol, Syaoran, this is Sakura Kinomoto, and this, Tomoyo Daidouji",Meiling finished, pointing to the two girls.

"Hi there!", Sakura said, while Tomoyo simply said, "Hey!".

"So…", Sakura began, "what are you all majoring in?"

"I'm taking up photography", Samiko began, "I've always been clicking photos, wherever I go! I don't have anymore film left now!"

"Yeah! She finished up two rolls on the first day itself!", Yumiko winked.

"But aren't the film rolls expensive?", Tomoyo asked.

"The Uni is providing them at unbelievably subsidized rates in the UniShop!", Samiko exclaimed, happily.

"UniShop?", Sakura looked on confused.

"The stationery shop on campus", Eriol answered. "They have some serious stuff at some serious prices! I love buying stuff there!"

"Oooh!", Tomoyo went.

Syaoran, meanwhile, was simply registering the presence of Sakura and Tomoyo. He would have to ask Eriol to run a background check on them later. He preferred to be careful of the contacts he made. His hobby that he was so passionate about made this rather necessary for him.

_Brown haired girlie-girl, what with all the pink she was wearing, with green eyes…hmm, you don't get green eyes so often…and, a black haired I-don't-know-what-to-stereotype-her girl with purple eyes…now THAT was even more rare, though if you didn't look too hard, they could pass for blackish-bluish-grayish eyes…ahh…that was confusing…_

So lost in his thoughts was he, that he didn't notice that everyone was looking towards him till Eriol finally hit him hard on the head.

"Oww! What was that for?", he demanded, glaring at Eriol.

Sakura shrank back at the intensity of the glare.

_Note to Self, _she thought, _Do NOT, under any foreseen or unforeseen circumstances, get on the wrong side of Li Syaoran, if you can help it._

As an after thought, she added,_ Well, since when have _I_ of all people been able to help it?_

Having made up her mind, she taunted, with a slight smile," Take it like a man, Li! Don't tell me you can't handle a slight smack to your head? Hell…I swear I heard some rather loud sounds emanating from there when Eriol's hand made contact!"

Syaoran looked at her, taken aback.

"What? Cat got your tongue, Syaoran…or wait! Could it be the brain damage due to Eriol's feather-light pat?", Meiling continued, catching on to Sakura's thought pattern.

_Why not have fun while I still can?_, she thought, happily.

Syaoran looked at Meiling now, even more surprised. What was it, Team-Up-Against-Syaoran or something?

Finally gathering his bearings, he looked, first at Sakura, and then at Meiling, and spoke," Brain damage? What have you people been watching, some Surgical 101, or something? Geez, you could at least get your facts correct, dumbos. Featherweight contact, as you said, Meiling, CANNOT, and I repeat, CANNOT cause brain damage, unless you think I'm some alien descended on Earth with an anatomy radically different from the normal homo sapiens, which", he rushed, before Meiling could comment, " dear Meiling, would make YOU an alien as well, given our cousiny relationship."

And YOU", he turned to Sakura and smacked her on her head elucidating a rather loud "Owww!!", as well as a glare in return, and spoke, "Still think you can talk about being a man, girlie-girl?"

Tomoyo, Eriol, Yumiko and Samiko burst out laughing heartily, as Meiling and Sakura simply glared at Syaoran in what could only be described as a Satanic way.

_Oh Li Syaoran, you have no idea what you are coming up against! To turn my words back upon me - well, suffice to say that justice WILL be served!_

Sakura's head was churning with ideas to get back at Syaoran, even as the conversation drifted to various other topics, as various majors were revealed.

Yumiko, it turned out, was in the same Fashion Designing course as Tomoyo, while Meiling had chosen Historical Clans.

Eriol was taking Advertising, which came as a surprise. His talents were kept secret till someone accidentally revealed that he was the one who came up with the most recent L'Oreal ad campaign. A scholarship had landed him in TU, and he wasn't complaining anytime.

Syaoran, meanwhile, to Sakura's initial chagrin and then sadistic humour, was taking her Journalism course, which left a plethora of opportunities open for her plans for crooked justice.

Somewhere in the middle of all this talk, each of them got up by one's and two's and got their dinners to eat, and had completely wiped their dishes clean, when suddenly, a shriek made itself heard from the other side of the foyer.

All heads turned in the same direction, and all sounds ceased, except James Blunt singing "So Long Jimmy" on the speakers.

The sight that greeted the eyes of the onlookers pretty much called for such a woeful song. A pretty blonde girl lay sprawled near the wall, blood plastered to her chest, as a long blade lay ingrained into her ribs.

Gasps of shock went up, and murmurs escalated into wails, but paying no attention to this, Sakura and Syaoran turned to the direction opposite to the girl, based on rough calculations made by considering the angle of the blade.

At that very spot in the overcrowded foyer, stood an empty table with empty chairs, and a few plates of unfinished food. Seeing that no one had noticed this, the two ran over to the table, so that the area would remain undisturbed.

Finally, Sakura noticed that Syaoran had moved along with her.

"What are YOU doing here?", she demanded, surprised. Could he have the same, queer hobby she possessed?

"What do you think I'm doing? Definitely not eating fat-free pizza! What are YOU doing here? Aren't you supposed to be out there, crying your heart and eyes out, like the _girlie-girl_ you are?", Syaoran retorted.

Sakura huffed.

"Well, guess I amn't as _girlie-girl _as you thought! Now can you PLEASE move out of my way, so I can do my job?

"No can do, girlie. I didn't just rush out here for no reason you know! I happen to have a rather nosy nose"

At this statement, Sakura was struck by the similarity between their…uh… noses.

"Okay…I have about as nosy a nose as you… Let's call a truce, alright?", she finally conceded.

Syaoran gave her a long look over before he finally nodded his agreement.

All said and done, the two got down to work. Wearing a pair of handy gloves, they methodically scanned the entire area for any clues or remnants of the previous occupants.

After about ten minutes of thorough scanning, they finally finished and shared the evidence among themselves.

By now, the others at the table had noticed their disappearance and come over to see what the two were up to.

"Syaoran's got a nosy nose too, huh?", Tomoyo enquired of Eriol.

"Uhuh", Eriol nodded. "Looks like Sakura's nose is no better"

Tomoyo looked at Eriol and grinned.

"Yeah, you got THAT right!"

Sakura held up a strand of hair that she had found in the food.

"A hair strand. Guessing by the plates on the table, I would say there were about seven or so people here." She placed the strand in a small plastic bag.

Syaoran held up a tiny badge that had fallen on the floor.

"It's clean. Meaning, it's not been on the ground among this crowd for long. Infact, it's just fallen, as it's pin is clean too." He put this into another plastic bag.

"Any fingerprints on the spoons or glasses?", Sakura asked.

"Nah…too many overlapping!"

"Hmm…same problem with the chairs and table"

Sakura took out a tiny notebook and pen from the back pocket of her jeans, and started noting down the food preferences.

Chicken burger, French fries…oil-free, Lipton's Iced Tea(Lemon), and a half eaten mango candy bar…

"Here", she handed a copy of her list to Syaoran. "That's the end of the truce. We're on our own now!"

"You got it, girlie!", Syaoran replied, as he took the list.

"What about the evidence, guys?", Meiling asked.

"We'll send the hair strand to the local police department, and ask them to send us the reports. As for the badge, I'll dust it for prints and send you the result. This evidence will be accessible to both", Syaoran stated the terms.

The other five sweatdropped at the seriousness of the two amateurs.

"Okay, then. But you play ONE dirty move, Li, and I swear I'll have you regretting it! As it is, you shall get an appetizer for that whack you gave me!", Sakura stated as she moved back to Tomoyo, with a scheming smile on her face.

"Bring it on, _girlie_!", Syaoran urged her, a slight smirk visible upon his lips.

"See ya later, guys!",Sakura and Tomoyo waved to the others, as they made their way out to their dorm.

The others waved back, Syaoran looking at the retreating back of the girl with whom he had begun a rivalry.

_You won't forget this year for a long time, Kinomoto. You'd better watch your back , 'cause I'll be watching mine…_

On their way to the dorm, Tomoyo commented," That was ONE freaky Friday we had today! What a start to a year!"

Sakura nodded approvingly.

"Yeah! One interesting year this will be!"

As she lay in her bed at night, Sakura's thoughts were swirling around one amber-eyed fellow.

_I'll get back at you…you just wait and watch, Li Syaoran…_

And she slept with relatively peaceful dreams of strangling a desperate Li.

Syaoran, meanwhile, was dreaming of green trees, green leaves, green flowers, green eyes…and a death wish that she had effectively expressed when she had made that very first jab at him…no, the whack wasn't enough…at least, not enough to deter an auburn haired girl.

A/N-KnoRT makes puppy dog face Won't, oh won't you review?? blinks eyes hopefully, and incessantly  
C'mon, a purple button beckons! :-D


	3. Call from the Grave People

A/N-Just so that everyone knows, all that goes on in these courses, is merely a figment of my imagination. I have no idea how it would go in real life, but I do know that I would be elated if this were true! However, the whole introduction thing belongs to my psychology teacher. She actually made us do that!  
IMPORTANT - I won't be able to update for a week,as I'll be out of town! I'm extremely sorry for the delay, but I won't be able to update during my trip either as it's a family trip!  
For now, however, I have a li'l chapter for you here!

Ch-3 - Call from the Grave (People)

The remaining two days passed rather uneventfully for the girls, unless you counted spending an hour marveling at the prices in the UniShop ("Oh! Tomoyo, look! You get all sorts of spy material here too!).

The seven teens met up generally at meal times, and occasionally passed each other in the corridors. Crashing in another's dorm wouldn't be allowed till the academic year actually began, so that the students could look around the place properly. However, they knew the location of everyone's dorm by now.

Syaoran and Eriol had bagged single dorms each, a prestigious issue. Meiling shared her dorm with Yumiko and Samiko, they had a three inmates dormroom.

At dinner times, occasional words of fury were exchanged between Sakura and Syaoran, while the others simply looked on, enjoying every minute of their lives in Uni.

Eriol and Tomoyo, on the other hand, got on very well indeed. Their topics of discussion would range from computers to weird friends to weird hobbies of their weird friends.

Finally, Monday rolled by. After a week of nothing to rub their brains with, everyone was looking forward to this day.

Breakfast at the caff-

"Yumiko, I can't believe we can finally exercise our designing skills!", Tomoyo exclaimed.

Yumiko nodded vigorously, before adding,"Tom, can you show me your collection sometime?"

"Hai,why not? Let's exchange our designs today evening, ne?"

"Yupp!! At my dorm!"

"Righto!"

On the other side of the table, Sakura and Syaoran were having a civilized conversation for once, as they were both in high spirits…

"Hey, Kinomoto, do you have any articles to your credit? As in, before you joined Uni and all?"

"Yeah, I have an internship with the local newspaper back at Tomoeda…I submit my articles online!"

"Hey, that's cool! I have a contract with the newspaper at Hong Kong. I have a section to myself named Life in Japan"

"Oh WOW!! You must be good to get a whole section to yourself!"

"More like goodness incorporated with family influence….", he muttered.

"Huh? What did you say?", Sakura asked, having only heard, "Mm, hhm mmhm".

"Uh…nothing important, just musing…", he replied.

"Uh…huh…okay", Sakura accepted, though every instinct in her was dying to find out. She couldn't stand anything being kept a secret.

In the middle of the table, Eriol and Samiko were engrossed in an indepth discussion regarding Adobe Photoshop and photography, and advertising...

"This one time, I tried transposing a photo of Syaoran onto a cow for a spoof ad, but the photographer was bad, and the cow was too fat!! It ended up like one of those things where you put your head into this model of superman!"

Yumiko imagined the sight in her head and started laughing.

Meiling, meanwhile, was reading her textbooks. Who ever said History was easy? Occasionally she would join in a conversation, but most of the time she buried herself in her books.

Soon, the bell rang signaling the start of classes. Exchanging good byes, everyone headed off to their respective classes.

Journalism – Room 40C

Sakura and Syaoran seated themselves at the rear end of the class, with Sakura in front of Syaoran.

"Class, I'm Yoruda Naru, your journalism sensei! Now, I want all of you to be wacky-weird and give me a trait of yourself that alliterates with your name! Like, Naughty Naru!", he introduced himself.

The class looked at him, first in bewilderment, then awe.

"Okay, let's start from the front…."

"Umm…Silent Suuna?"

"Good beginning! But how bout wackier ones?", he winked.

"Weird Wadoo?"

"That's more like it! C'mon, open up everyone!"

"Sentimental Sami!"

"Krazy Kuumo"

"Trendy 'Tuma"

"Straight Syaoran"

The whole class turned to stare at Syaoran as he made his statement heard.

"Yeah, way to go Li! Worried that guys would pop the question at your piggy-turned face?", Sakura whispered.

Syaoran had sat himself down by then and he leaned forward to whisper fiercely into her ear, "Hark who's talking! Are you sure YOU should go there, buffalo butt?"

Sakura simply threw a scowl at him and stood up, seeing that it was her turn to speak.

"Klutzy 'Kura", she said, with a smile.

Seating herself down, she turned to him and smiled," The aim of this exercise, Li, is to flatter oneself, or atleast put up a value that seems adorable!"

Syaoran raised an eyebrow, before retaliating, "And Klutzy fits that bill?"

"Oh, Li, you have no idea how many men find klutzy girls adorable!", Sakura batted her eyelashes at him.

"Back there, the straight guy and the klutz, if you could please stop the lover talks and actually pay attention to what the rest of your classmates are saying?", Yoruda requested.

Sakura and Syaoran didn't bother replying in the negative, and simply went back to listening.

"So, like, you ARE lovers?", the guy beside Syaoran asked.

"What! Noo! Not even close!", Syaoran exclaimed, earning him a reproving look from Yoruda. He lowered his voice to a whisper and said, "I'm sane, and would rather not be her loverboy…"

The boy brightened up. "Does that mean she's single?"

"How should I know? You ask her!", Syaoran brushed him off, irritated.

The introductions went on for about half an hour considering the number of students in the class, with a few adjectives acquiring the same looks as the one Syaoran had bestowed upon himself.

Finally, with twenty minutes of the main lecture remaining, Yoruda cleared his throat.

"As we seem to have had our fill of the fun, I'll begin with the serious stuff"

Some people looked at him in disbelief. _This guy COULD be serious?_

"I want everyone present here, to write a page-long article on the nature of their previous creative writing teachers. Now, while this may seem as a subjective activity, and an unethical one at that, I hope 

you can absorb the real reason for this. I _need_ to know the extent of your training. Please try to be as objective as possible, and ignore the subjective nature of this exercise. Now, you may begin. You have exactly seventeen minutes to turn it in."

A buzz arose in the class, as the students set to work on their articles. Soon, however, as everyone became absorbed in his or her work, the noise died down, and a pin-drop silence ascended.

Fifteen minutes later, almost everyone was finished and handing over their articles to Yoruda.

A minute more passed, and the class was done.

"As a relaxation of rules, on the first day, I shall hand no homework to you, but there _is _something I want you all to do today evening itself."

The students looked happily at Yoruda as the prospect of no homework worked as well as dopamine to their nerves.

"You will all make a trip to the UniShop and get yourselves a pack of about a hundred loose papers. I also expect you all to be equipped with good pens or pencils. Also, get yourselves a digital camera. A good journalist always has paper and pen ready. A camera, is an important tool for evidence and imagery. Am I clear?"

A flurry of "Hai"s went up and the class dismissed. Friends were eagerly talking about the trip to the UniShop and their articles.

Syaoran and Sakura, meanwhile, were walking to the caff to spend their fifteen minute break.

"How did your article go?", Syaoran asked Sakura.

"Positive", Sakura replied, dead pan.

Syaoran looked at the uncharacteristic Sakura with disbelief.

Sakura's face registered emotion once again, as she spoke, "What? I'm just dishing out what you keep giving people"

"And what would that be?"

"Ambiguous answers?" _Oh yeah, she was going to have a good time at this._

"When did _I _ever give ambiguous answers?"

"Straight Syaoran? Geeeeez!"

"What? It was true!"

"I surely hope so! All the girls around me were all like," Oh God! Is he straight? I mean, he's like sooo hot? Are you dating him? Oh please break up! I soo wanna have him!", Sakura imitated in a high pitched voice.

"It wasn't any less for me, Miss Toleration! The guy next to me, wanted to ask you out!", Syaoran retorted.

"Oh really? That's just ONE guy. I had like five girls around me!"

"That must have been because I was in the corner, and there was you before me and the guy next to me!"

"Ohh…still, I'm sure you'd never have to go through the same torture I go through!"

"Yeah…right!"

"Ohh…look, the others are here already", Sakura ran ahead, ignoring Syaoran.

'Goddd…..women!!', Syaoran thought in exasperation.

As they reached the table, Tomoyo called Sakura over.

"Sakura, I've got something for you!"

"Hey Tomo, what's it? A lead on a case?"

"Unn….it is", she excused them both from the table for a moment, and led Sakura to the next table, with her laptop.

"You remember that insignia we were talking about?", Tomoyo asked her. Sakura nodded, as she looked at her eagerly.

"Well, I asked around my designing class, during introductions, and one girl said she had a friend who was a victim and would be willing to reiterate her experience. I asked for her dorm room, and the girl said, she would have to ask her friend first. She said she's give her reply today evening, in the caff at around seven."

"Thank you sooo much Tomoyo!! We finally have a lead in the case! Now, if we find the design of the insignia, all we have to do is find what club has it!"

"What insignia?", came a rough voice from behind Sakura.

Sakura turned around in shock. There stood her nemesis, Li, looking extremely interested.

Regaining her senses, Sakura replied, "That would be none of your sweet business, Li!"

"I believe there was something about an insignia in the recent harassment cases! Would that be the same thing you girls are talking about?"

"_Why_ would we tell you?", Sakura fired back. "Tomo, c'mon, let's go back to the table!"

Tomoyo closed her laptop, smiled apologetically at Eriol and followed Sakura.

Syaoran sighed. "Can you do something, Eriol?"

Eriol considered his best friend "I might", he replied finally.

Back at the table, everyone looked inquisitively at Eriol, Tomoyo, Syaoran and Sakura.

"Sooo? What was that all about?", they seemed to be asking.

All of them simply smiled back, and sat themselves down at the table. Everyone's eyes did not leave them.

"What?", they all looked back.

"Nothing, just…oh! Forget it, as if you guys would tell us anyway!", Meiling commented before resuming the conversation with the Yumiko and Samiko.

As a result of the trip to the other table, Syaoran was seated next to Sakura, who was beside Tomoyo who was, in turn, was beside Eriol.

Everyone had eagerly hopped into the conversation, but soon, it was only Meiling, Yumiko, Samiko, Eriol and Tomoyo speaking, without noticing the lack of inputs from either Syaoran or Sakura.

Sakura was deep in thought. _How do I go about the topic with the girl? I can't just hop into the conversation, right? How? Maybe…maybe I could explain what I'm doing..yeah, and THEN I can ask her! Yeah…now, how do I put it? Hello, I'm a teenage detective? Naa….too egoistic. Hi, I hope you're coping well. You see, I'm this det-Forget it….Hi, I'd love to nab your assaulter!-How blunt!..._

Syaoran, meanwhile was simply staring at Sakura, as different expressions crossed her face, ranging from disgust to disapproval to irritation.

_I wonder if I was right about the insignia! If I am, what's she got to do with it? Oh yeah! She's the same type of dysfunctional as me… I wish I knew…hmm, should I? Or will it be too desperate?_

Having made up his mind, Syaoran leaned in closer to Sakura. _She isn't too bad looking. In fact, she's quite a pretty one-SHUT UP! Concentrate, boy concentrate…_

He moved till he was within whispering distance from her ear.

"Saaakuraa…", he whispered huskily. A smile spread on Sakura's face, even as her eyes were closed. She seemed to be so lost in her thoughts, that she didn't recognize Syaoran.

"What's going on in that mind of yours?", he whispered in the same tone. Luckily, the others were discussing an exceedingly interesting topic, and didn't notice anything, whatsoever.

"Umm…" Sakura hummed, still not recognizing him.

Syaoran smirked. _Someone likes my voice…_

"Nothing much, really…just a girl-", Syaoran softly blew on her ear, and Sakura giggled quietly.

"Just something about a girl, a case, a tatt-", Sakura's eyes suddenly flew open.

She looked around in pure shock, and met Syaoran's smirking face with a mortified glare.

"You scream, and I tell them exactly what happened", Syaoran threatened her, still smirking.

Sakura turned a bright shade of red, as she realized what had exactly happened.

"You skank", she whispered fiercely. "How dare you!"

"How dare I what? Whisper your sweet name in your ears?", Syaoran continued teasing, as he leant back in his chair.

This exchange was taking place in the quietest way possible, and with the slightest movements, so that no reaction would be elucidated from the others.

Sakura turned watermelon red at his statement, and simply huffed and turned the other way, fiddling with her bag.

"So," Syaoran questioned, now with a serious face, "I was right. You ARE working on the harassment case, aren't you?"

Sakura still did not turn in his direction. "What does it matter to you anyway? Have YOU ever been harassed?"

Syaoran was taken aback by her reply. "What do you mean?"

"It's none of your business. It slipped out by way of an answer. So what if I AM working on the case?"

"Hnn…nothing, just that, in case you hadn't noticed, _girls_ and not guys are the targets. It would be dangerous for you to work on this case"

"Yeah right…I have enough of fight in me to survive, thank you very much", Sakura said, finally turning to look at him, with an annoyed look.

"Well, just so you know, you never need even _find_ me for help. I won't give it anyway", Syaoran stated, a tad too irritated with her actions. _Someone needs a taste of their own medicine…_

"I know, you can always expect the same from me", Sakura replied with a sarcastically-placed smile.

"Hnn…"

The bell rang just them, signaling the end of their quarter hour break.

Sakura suddenly smiled as she remembered her next class.

"Woot! We have editing next! My total favourite!", she exclaimed, happily.

Syaoran's mood brightened up at the prospect of working at his dream stream.

He smiled lightly, and gave Eriol a pat on his back, in the boyish way.

Eriol smiled back at him. "See you later!"

Editing – Room 40C

Yoruda had already returned to the class, and the students were just filing in as Sakura and Syaoran entered. In about another five minutes, the class was full.

"Okay! Now then, I suppose not all of you would have gone to the UniShop. But I hope you all do have _some_ paper and pen ready, as it's rather stupid to turn up for a class on journalism empty-handed"

Being greeted with no negative comments, Yoruda continued, "Now, the previous class you had, it's going to be a general journalism class. As in, we'll be revising what we learned or discussing some recent topics in that class. The rest of your classes will be more specific."

Syaoran was listening intently when suddenly his cell phone went off. Thankfully it was on silent, and only vibrated vigorously in his jeans pocket. He put a hand on it, hoping it would stop and tried to ignore it. Stop it did, only to start vibrating immediately again. Whoever was calling, sure was desperate. Knowing that he wouldn't be allowed to answer his cell in the class, he made a show of dropping his pen to the floor, under Sakura's chair, who was sitting ahead of him, and bent down to pick it up. At the same time, he pulled the phone out of his pocket and answered it. It was an unknown number, and he was getting irritated by the second.

"What?!", he whispered fiercely in the cell, still groping around for his pencil.

Sakura bent down to see what he was doing, and opened her mouth in surprise. Syaoran put a firm hand on her mouth, his glare directed towards the caller.

He couldn't help but feel her lips closing against his hand, before she tried to pull it off. He let go, with a scary, warning look, and Sakura nodded, scared. She sat back up, the sensation of his hand against her mouth still lingering. She unconsciously put her hand to her mouth, before realizing it, and pulling it down, all red in the face.

Syaoran, meanwhile, didn't get to revel in the soft feel of her lips as the caller answered.

"_I overheard the conversation of those two girls in the caff today during break. You know who I'm talking about, don't you?"_

Syaoran felt his mouth go dry. _A lead?_

"Yeah…."

"_Well, I didn't like it one bit. You tell your girl that if she doesn't back off, she's gonna have a helluva time recuperating after all's said and done."_

"She isn't my girl", Syaoran replied angrily. _Who was this guy anyway? _"She'd never take my advice, you get that? She's hardly even a friend of mine!"

"_Well, you just get the message across, won't you?"_

"Who the hell are you and where did you get my number from?"

The voice sighed before replying, "_Have you any idea how easily this sort of information comes with a bit of asking and hacking?"_

"Hacking?"

"_Yeah…University records are kinda easy to hack into, IF you have the right people around you…", _the voice continued. It seemed as if the caller was boasting on, because soon after he spoke this sentence, someone in the background made reproving and hushing sounds, accompanied by a string of uncensored swear words.

The caller retaliated in the background. "_Oh shut it! Like anything's gonna happen!"_

"Why didn't you call her yourself?"

"_After knowing she's a snoop? What are you boy, stupid?" _Laughing sounds followed the statement.

The revelation hit Syaoran hard in the head. They didn't know he was interested too, then!

"_You do what we told you boy…or else who knows what'll happen?",_ the caller ended on a taunting tone.

_We….they were two or more involved in this, the earlier curse words proved it anyway.._

The call ended abruptly and Syaoran heard the irritating beep on the other end. Grabbing the dropped pencil, he pocketed his cell and resumed his sitting position.

Yoruda was going through basic spelling errors. The "i before e except after c" stuff…

Syaoran looked at the back of Sakura's head. He didn't know what to make of their friendship.

One moment they were amiably discussing journalism, another they were teasing and taunting each other, and yet another they were sworn enemies. And her mood swings definitely did not help…

Syaoran shook his head to clear his mind as he tried to concentrate on the editing. However, the phone call plagued his mind. Whatever his relationship with the female, did it include killing her?

_No…I have to get this across to her…the person seemed rather serious…._

A/N – Another chappie for you folks!! Please be nice enough to review it, as these reviews are my survival food!! Do you wish to starve a writer?? No? Then press that beautifully tiny, yet important button down there! Thank you for reading! 


	4. Of Donors and Tattoos

KnoRT - Sorry for the late update!! I had been away for a long time, and I simply couldn't find the time to update this story...

**SyaoranDante- **Thank you, my dear, and only reviewer!! You are practically the only reason I've been writing this story!

* * *

Ch – 4 **Of Donors and Tattoos**

The bell had just gone off, and everyone was filing out of the class.

Sakura stayed behind, as Syaoran packed his books into his bag. _What is it that he knows?_

Syaoran looked up, and saw that Sakura had not moved from her place.

"What?"

"You had something to tell me."

Syaoran sighed. They had fifteen minutes. Would he be able to do it?

"Sakura, look. You're gonna hate this."

"Go on, I seem to hate everything these days anyway!"

Syaoran looked at her skeptically. _Really?_

"Oh well, anyway, I got a call. The caller was anonymous, and he told me to keep "my girl" away from the case."

"Your girl?", Sakura snorted."Who's the unlucky one?"

Syaoran scowled and replied, "Hey, keep those barbs to yourself, girlie! And just so you know, he meant _you_!"

"Me?? What's he? Crazy??", Sakura exploded. She would NEVER in her nine lives be HIS girl!

"Yeah, I know… I corrected him, but you know how some people are!", Syaoran smiled, having expected such a reply.

He didn't mind this retort at all. No one else at his school had been able to get to him like Sakura sometimes did. True, maybe they had some chemistry crackling between them, but that was just superficial. Deep within, neither could stand the other for more than two minutes – and those two minutes were up.

"And what did YOU tell him? "_Oh! Really? I'll keep her away! Don't you worry!?"_ she imitated a squeaky guy.

"Nooo…", Syaoran said slowly, narrowing his brows. "I told him you wouldn't listen anyway! "

"Ohhh…what did he threaten you with?"

Syaoran turned a little serious now. "Truthfully, he threatened you. He's threatened dire circumstances."

"Dire circumstances?", Sakura guffawed. "What does he think this is? Some outdated thriller plot?"

Syaoran shrugged. "Well, as far as I know, they were pretty serious. I just thought it would be nice of me to let you know that your life is probably gonna be pretty messed up soon"

"Since when have you been nice?", Sakura questioned, with a raised eyebrow.

"Since now?"

"Believable…", Sakura mock-considered the thought.

Syaoran simply smirked back. "Whatever the case, Kinomoto, it wouldn't hurt you to stop investigating."

"Yeah, like _that_'ll ever happen!" Sakura snorted.

"Oh well, can't say I didn't warn you!", Syaoran dismissed it lightly. "Just try to be low-key though."

"I'm _always_ low-key unless the situation commands otherwise!"

"Hmm", Syaoran nodded, before walking away.

Sakura simply smiled at his retreating figure. He was a rival, alright, but that didn't mean she didn't enjoy his company from time to time. Not many guy snoop rivals she knew were ethical, unlike him. She always drew a line between competition and plain hatred. She hated people who were insensitive, like…She shook the thought from her head. No use thinking about it anyway. The point was that, even though Li could drive her mad sometimes, he hadn't entered her list of hateful people. True, she didn't trust him - of course not – but, she knew he was a gentlemanly fellow among the animals in the jungle.

Walking to the cafeteria, where apparently Li wasn't headed to, since he had walked the opposite direction, she turned her thoughts towards the case. She had one trail to follow, and she intended to go wherever it led her. Checking her bag, she ensured that she had her digicam, writing pad, and smoothest pen for pictures and notes. Finally, she reached the cafeteria, and immediately made her way to the table where the others were sitting.

Greeting everyone jovially, she slid into place, and turned to Tomoyo.

"Moyo", she whispered, "you were going to show me something on your laptop before Li interrupted, weren't you?"

Tomoyo nodded with a slight "Umm!", showing agreement.

"Well, what was it?", Sakura continued whispering.

"I asked the girl whose friend was a victim whether she had seen the insignia. She said that she had. She was surfing the net and stumbled upon it, and her friend happened to be in the same room. Her friend recognized it right away, and disclosed it to her."

"Nice! You got the website?"

"Yeah! Thank the Wi-Fi in the classrooms! She showed me the site."

Tomoyo opened her laptop, messed around a bit, and then turned it around to show Sakura.

"This", she said, "is the insignia".

Suddenly, Tomoyo shut the laptop.

Sakura lifted her head and looked at Tomoyo, "Whaa-?"

"And how are you pretty ladies doing?", came the smooth and calm Hiiragizawa's voice.

"Ahh! Eriol! We're doing fine! How about you?", Tomoyo smiled back, sweetly, hoping he hadn't seen the tattoo.

Eriol smiled back. _What was that on her laptop? I couldn't see too clearly! What was it?! Darn!_

Sakura looked at Eriol with a smile. "Hello, Eriol!"

"Hi, Sakura! Have you seen Li around anywhere? I've been searching for him ever since break began!"

"Oh! I talked to him after class, and then he walked off in the opposite direction while I came here! I have no idea where he went!"

"Oh, thanks! I'll catch him at Lunch!", Eriol finished as he sat himself on the chair.

Everyone was soon caught in talks.

"Did you know", Meiling began, "remember that girl we saw who was stabbed by that blade?"

Everyone shuddered. Who could forget that gruesome sight? The only reason they hadn't dwelt on it for long was that their classes had begun, and everyone was still adjusting.

"Well, a few girls and guys in my History class were discussing it, and I _happened _to overhear them-"

"Yeah, _that's_ right Mei…you _happened _to overhear them", Li snorted.

Meiling scowled at him before continuing, "Apparently, the girl suffered a great loss of blood, despite her quick treatment, and her blood group, though not a rare one, isn't very common around here. So, they're having difficulty treating her, and she's constantly slipping into an unconscious state, and waking again."

"What's her blood group?", Sakura immediately asked.

"B positive, I believe."

"Where is she admitted?", Sakura demanded, hurriedly.

"In the hospital next to Uni. Why?"

"I have the same group! I can donate my blood!"

Meiling sighed. "Saku, they need large amounts of blood, honey. One person won't be enough."

"Something is better than nothing, right!"

"Well, yes, but what if they need more? Your blood wouldn't go to any use!"

"I can donate too", a calm voice cut in.

Everyone's heads swiveled towards Eriol.

"I have the same group as well", Eriol stated.

Meiling sighed resignedly. "You guys go ahead then. I guess I'll donate too!"

"You have the same group as well?"

"No, I'm an O positive", Meiling smiled.

"Oh yeah!", everyone cheered. "How could we forget? The Universal Donor!"

Meiling smiled again. "Let's go there after Lunch. We need something in our stomachs and a lot of time!"

"I hope we're all an ideal weight. We shouldn't be underweight either!", Sakura said.

"I doubt _you _could be underweight, Sakura", Li cut in.

"Shut up, Li", Sakura offered back.

"Why? Because I'm right?"

"No, now buzz off!"

"You ain't getting rid of me easily. I'm donating as well. I'm an O positive as well."

"Oh, so you're scared we might find out that you're overweight, and so, to keep the spotlight off yourself, you bug someone else! Nice strategy Li, too bad it isn't working!"

"Overweight!", Syaoran guffawed.

And the conversation steered off the topic slowly, as they kept talking about various other things to protect their egos, till the bell rung for their classes.

After Lunch –

After a nice and heavy lunch, the four teens skipped their next class, and headed towards the hospital next door.

_I'm _so_ going to find that culprit, _Sakura was thinking. _Poor girl, what did she do to deserve this?_

At the hospital, after filling in the required forms, they headed to separate rooms to donate their blood.

After the donation, they asked the receptionist if they could see the girl.

"I'm sorry, but unless you are relatives, you cannot visit her. She's in a critical condition as you would be knowing", the young lady said apologetically.

"Can we at least get an update in her situation, ma'am?", Sakura asked, hopefully.

The girl looked at Sakura, and smiled.

"Very well, miss, Kaomi, the girl, is presently very weak, and can't even eat yet. She's being fed through IV, and been put through dialysis. We have collected almost the required amount of blood, but we are still short. I really hope the poor dear gets well. The blade barely missed her heart, but her rib was cracked by the sheer impact."

"Ohh", Meiling spoke, slowly.

"That, and also, she had no immediate family around in Tokyo. Her aunt and uncle have admitted her. Her parents are raising the money to travel here from Kyoto. Their family is very poor. We have offered her free care and surgery, but we need funds too. Not many people come forward to donate money however."

Sakura thought for a minute.

"Ma'am, if each student at Uni were to donate a few yen, do you think it would come close to what you need?"

"Every student, huh? Hmm…Uni has around a few ten thousand students right?"

"Umm!"

"I think it would be well if they could chip in a little each! Yes, that would be a brilliant plan, miss!"

"So, now we just need to get it across to everyone!"

"No problem! The hospital will distribute flyers and an official request to your Head!"

"Yeah! That will be more than enough!"

After discussing a bit more, the four left the hospital in brighter spirits than before.

After Class –

"Tomo, guess what?!", Sakura exclaimed as her best friend entered their dorm after class.

After the blood donation, the four donors had decided to take a break that day, and had retired to their dorms.

"Hey Saku! Tell me, what?", Tomoyo greeted back as she placed her sling bag and laptop on their combined study table.

"The hospital has decided to distribute flyers requesting each of us to make a tiny contribution! That way, we can cover the cost of Kaomi's treatment!"

"Kaomi? Was she the victimized girl?"

"Umm!! She is!"

"Ahh! This is wonderful! Mumma can help too!"

"Yes! Anyone is welcome to help!"

"Sugoi!"

Suddenly Sakura remembered.

"Hey, Tomo, can I see the insignia again? I didn't get to see it clearly, thanks to Eriol's untimely appearance!"

"Oh yeah! Hold on, I'll just get freshened up first!"

"Yeah, sure!"

As Tomoyo went into the attached bathroom, Sakura glanced at the clock._ Five o'clock…_

Five minutes later Tomoyo emerged from the bathroom, refreshed.

As she went to her laptop, Sakura reminded her.

"Ano, Tomo, we're going to the caff at seven aren't we?"

"Caff at seven? Oh yeah! To meet the girl from my class right?"

"Yeah…"

"Yup, we'll be there!"

"Okay!"

As her laptop booted, Tomoyo looked around the room.

"Saku, remember how we used to play detective as kids?"

"Yeah, you were the informer, me the analyser, and Touya was forever the victim!"

Tomoyo laughed as she remembered the events from years ago…

_-FlashBack-_

A little Tomoyo and Sakura of ten years, stood in Sakura's room.

"Saku, here", Little Tomoyo ordered, a cloak in her hand.

"What's this for, Tomo?", Little Sakura questioned innocently.

"For sneaking, of course!", Little Tomoyo reprimanded.

"Ohh….what are you going to wear Tomo?"

Little Tomoyo rummaged within Little Sakura's closet a little.

"Ahaa! _This!_", she exclaimed finally.

"Th-th-that?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Well, you know, it's, well, it's, like…"

Little Tomoyo waited for her to complete her thought, but finally ran out of patience, and scowled and brushed her comment off.

"C'mon, you wait in the kitchen! Informer Tomoyo will inform you of events! My outfit will definitely disguise me and not raise any suspicions! It's a _masterpiece_!", Little Tomoyo exclaimed excitedly.

"Yes, yes, Tomo! Whatever you say", Little Sakura sighed resignedly, as she draped the huge cloak around her little self, and walked out the door to the kitchen.

Two minutes later-

A younger Touya was busily working on his report for school. Suddenly, he caught something moving outside his door, from the corner of his eyes.

"What the-", he began before his eyes bulged out as he saw two huge brown button eyes staring back at him.

"A _teddy bear_!!"

Tomoyo chortled happily behind her outfit. _He'll never know someone's spying on him!_

_-End FlashBack-_

Tomoyo giggled lightly as the laptop finally booted up. Atleast, nowadays, she had better disguises!

Sakura waited impatiently, as Tomoyo connected to the net, and opened the page again.

"Here…"

Sakura looked at the insignia intently, and then quickly got up and got her notebook out. She immediately traced the outline of the insignia and filled in the minor details.

"I'll be going to the library and looking this up. By the way, what was the caption of this insignia?", Sakura asked, all serious.

"That's the problem. The insignia's image shows up only a number when you scroll over it, you know, those "14264/4622/5864", or something like that! It has no name! She was simply going over designs for embroidery, and this weird thing came up in the searches. The host site, too, is the only one that hosts this image and it lists this insignia under the miscellaneous section of insignia's of cults and groups."

"You mean, no one knows what this insignia means?"

"Obviously this insignia isn't random, or it wouldn't belong to a group. The site was created by a tattoo enthusiast, an amateur. It's only natural that some parts were unknown to him."

"Hmm…you're right! I'd better give the library a shot! Tomorrow at Lunch? Yeah, that'll do!"

"Oki…what about the girl who was stabbed?"

"Hmm…I don't have a single lead, except the evidence Li and I found…which reminds me, I'd better remind him to give me the results of the fingerprints and the hair strand!"

"Yeah…you do that! Right now, I'm gonna be updating my designing website!"

"Yeah, I'll just tinker around the room a little…"

"What do you mean?"

"Well…I've been thinking…at the rate at which we're going on about the cases, it's only natural that we'll have enemies…we've always had them at every place we went to!"

"Yeah…and?"

"Well, I thought I'd create a little secret place of our own, you know. A place where we can keep our most valuable things. In the event of a break-in or something of the sort, those little things will be safe…I'll never forget the earrings I lost from my locker, thanks to the Joha gang back in school!"

"You're right…ahh, the Johas…I remember that event, it was unfortunate! Poor you, Saku, to think that those belonged to your mom…"

"Yeah….they were among the only things I had left from her! I cried for a week after that. The Johas were acquitted in the case, because I couldn't bring myself to work over the loss of the earring, and so, I had no evidence…", a grin lit up on her face, " not to say, I didn't get back a month later...they were suspended from school for community service….ahh! Revenge is sweet, Tomo!!"

Tomoyo smiled. "You're right, you'd better make that secret place…the last time I tried it, I messed it up too badly to be effective! I'll be more of a hindrance than a help!"

Sakura smiled softly at Tomoyo before saying, "Whatever happens Tomo, you'll be my best friend forever!"

"Right back at you Saku!"

Thus said, they went back to doing their work.

* * *

KnoRT- I know, this isn't so interesting, so S+S...soooo...nothing...; hehe...anyway...it's kinda like a filler...next chap should be up within a few days...I'm gonna be a little faster for some time, since I have to get back to college in a couple of weeks...

Please be nice and press "OK" down there!!

That's all for now, folks!


End file.
